Photo Credit: Alex J. Hernandez (pictured - freshman Jonas Page)
FIU Game Notes (PDF)
FIU (2-2) vs Florida College (4-3)
Teams - FIU Panthers (2-2 overall, 0-0 home); Florida College Falcons (4-3 overall, 1-1 away)
Date - Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013
Location - Miami, Fla.
Arena - U.S. Century Bank Arena (5,000)
Tickets - 305-FIU-GAME (348-4263)
Television - N/A
Twitter - @FIUMensBBall
Facebook - FIUMensBBall
Live Video Streaming - www.FIUSports.com
Live Stats - www.FIUSports.com
Records - FIU enters Thursday's game with an overall record of 2-2 following a 93-56 win over Warren Wilson on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Florida College enters Thursday's game with a 4-3 record following a 101-72 loss at Jacksonville on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
Rankings - FIU is not ranked in either poll.
FIU Head Coach Anthony Evans - Coach Evans (St. Thomas Aquinas '94) enters Thursday's contest with a career record of 101-96 (.513 - seventh season overall) and 2-2 at FIU (.500 - first season).
Series History - Thursday's game between the Panthers and Falcons will mark the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
Officials - Announced on game day
FIU Host Florida College in 2013-2014 Home Opener
The FIU men's basketball continues it gauntlet of seven games in 11 days with the team's home opener versus Florida College on Thursday, Nov. 14. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. from Lime Court at U.S. Century Bank Arena.
The game will be “LIV it Up at the FIU Basketball Beach Bash” with the official presentation and unveiling of the Fontainebleau Suites and Cabanas, and Lime Court at U.S. Century Bank Arena.
As part of the festivities, all FIU students in attendance will have the first opportunity to start earning their way to winning official team-issued gear. A post-game student party featuring FREE food, a basketball and beach-themed photo station, and a Wipeout Challenge mechanical surfboard will take place. Along with in-game and halftime contests, there will be a number of giveaways including the first-ever FIU snapback hat. Admission is free for all students with those in attendance entered for a chance to win the Lucky Lifeguard Seat Upgrade, where one student and a friend will be selected for a special seat upgrade.
Thursday will also serve as FIU Faculty, Staff and Retiree Appreciation Night, presented by VALIC Financial Advisors. All FIU faculty, staff and retirees can purchase up to four tickets for $1 each. A valid FIU employee ID must be presented at the time of purchase. Tickets can be picked up in advance at the R. Kirk Landon Fieldhouse on Thursday, Nov. 14, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tickets can also be picked up on Thursday at U.S. Century Bank Arena beginning at 6:00 p.m.
The Panthers enter Thursday's contest having won two-straight, including a 93-56 win over Warren Wilson College on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Five Panthers reached double-figures in scoring as FIU used a 22-0 run in the second half to defeat the Owls by 37.
Redshirt senior Rakeem Buckles led all Panthers with a career-high 26 points. The 20-point performance was the third-straight for the Miami native. Senior Tymell Murphy and sophomore Jerome Frink added 16 points apiece. Murphy went 7-of-10 from the floor and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Frink shot 6-of-10 from the floor, while leading the team with a career-high six assists. Also scoring in double-figures were Dennis Mavin (13 points) and Marco Porcher Jimenez (11 points).
FIU enters Thursday's contest averaging 73.0 points-per-game on 43.6 percent shooting from the floor and 35.5 percent shooting from 3-point range. The Panthers are converting 64.0 percent from the free-throw line, having shot 70.0 percent or better in each of the last three games. Defensively, FIU is allowing 67.8 points-per-game as the opposition is shooting 42.5 percent from the floor. FIU is out-rebounding its opponents 165-134, averaging 41.2 boards-per-contest.
On the year, Buckles, leads all Panthers averaging 19.8 points-per-game and 11.0 rebounds-per-contest. Also averaging in double-digit scoring is redshirt senior Raymond Taylor, who is posting 13.3 points-per-game. The Miami native leads the team in assists with 15. Murphy comes into this week's game, averaging 12.5 points-per-game and 7.8 rebounds-per-contest. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native has notched two double-doubles on the year.
FIU – Florida College Series History
Thursday's game between FIU and Florida College will mark the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
- First-ever meeting between FIU and Florida College.
- As a member of the USCAA, Florida College is the second of two schools from the same conference (defeated Warren Wilson, 93-56 on Nov. 12).
- FIU is 25-7 all-time in home opening contests.
- Head Coach Anthony Evans has never faced Florida College.
An FIU Victory Would....
- Improve FIU's record to 3-2.
- Improve FIU's non-conference record to 3-2.
- Improve FIU's record versus Florida College, 1-0.
- Give FIU a 1-0 record in home games in '13-'14.
- Give FIU a record of 3-2 in the month of November.
- Improve Head Coach Anthony Evans' career record to 102-96.
- Improve Coach Evans' record at FIU to 3-2.
- Give FIU its 379th win (actual on-court record).
- Give FIU its 295th Division I win (actual on-court record).
- Improve FIU's record to 1-0 in of the state of Florida this season.
A Little Home Cookin'
FIU enters its 29th season playing at U.S. Century Bank Arena where the Panthers are 206-169 all-time. FIU has had 17th winning season at home at U.S. Century Bank Arena, including a perfect 13-0 mark during the 1992-93 campaign.
U.S. Century Bank Arena
Opened - Feb. 1, 1986
Capacity - 5,000
Overall Record - 206-169
Total Games - 375
Largest Crowd - 4,638 (Michigan -11/23/98)
Most Points - 123 (Palm Beach Atlantic - 11/25/95)
Home Openers
Thursday's contest with the Falcons will mark the 33rd home opener for the FIU men's basketball program. The Panthers own a 25-7 mark all-time in home-opening games and have won eight of its last nine.
Now That's Impressive
In three-straight games, redshirt senior Rakeem Buckles has notched 20 points, including a career-high 26 points versus the Warren Wilson Olws on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The Miami native is the only player to reach 20 points this season. Last year, the 20-point plateau was hit 14 times.
Points-a-Plenty
On Tuesday, Nov. 12, FIU put up 93 points on the Warren Wilson Owls. The 90-point performance was the first for the Panthers since scoring 92 at Utah Valley on Dec. 28, 2010.
Player of the Week
Redshirt senior Rakeem Buckles was named Conference USA Co-Player of the Week, for the week ending Nov. 10.
The Miami native shares this week's honor with Marshall's Elijah Pittman.
Buckles averaged 17.7 points-per-game and 12.0 rebounds-per-game through the Panthers first three games this season and recorded three-straight double-doubles and scored back-to-back 20-point games – tying his career best. Buckles shot 43.6 percent from the floor and is 72.7 percent from the free-throw line this past weekend as the 6-foot-7 power forward made his first appearance in an NCAA contest since Jan. 16, 2011 during Friday's season opener versus Eastern Kentucky, scoring 13 points and grabbing a team-high 12 rebounds. He followed it up the next day with a 20-point, 13-board performance versus Youngstown State. Buckles continued his dominating play in the team's third game in as many days, scoring 20 points again and grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds to help FIU pick up its first win of the season.
The conference award is the first of the season for Buckles.
500 and counting
On Sunday, Nov. 10, senior Tymell Murphy scored his 500th point as a member of the FIU men's basketball team. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native enters Thursday's contest with 518-career points.
1=100
Head Coach Anthony Evans picked up his first win as the head coach of the FIU men's basketball program with a 66-58 victory over Kennesaw State on Sunday, Nov. 10. The win also marked the 100th-career victory for Evans, who is in his seventh season as a head coach.
Cleaning the Glass
Through the first four games this season, FIU has held a decisive advantage on the boards, out-rebounding the opposition, 165-143. Leading the way for FIU is redshirt senior Rakeem Buckles, who is averaging 11.0 rebounds-per-contest. Following Buckles is senior Tymell Murphy, who is grabbing 7.8 boards-per-game.
The Gauntlet
The FIU men's basketball team has played four games in five days to open up the 2013-2014 season. The Panthers are scheduled to play five games in seven days and seven games in 11 days. Following Thursday's game with Florida College, FIU will face Texas Southern on Saturday, Nov. 16.
Raining Threes
Entering Thursday's game versus Florida College, the FIU Panthers have converted at least one 3-point basket in 149-straight games, dating back to Dec. 20, 2008.
